Kansas City Chiefs: 6 Players Who Could Break Out in 2012

Breakout seasons happen all the time in the NFL.

Sometimes they are expected, while other times, they come from out of nowhere.

With a plethora of young, talented players on their current roster, the Kansas City Chiefs could see many of their players enjoy breakout campaigns in 2012.

Here are six players that could break out for KC next season.

OLB Justin Houston

Justin Houston was taken by the Chiefs in the third round of last year's NFL draft in order to improve the KC's overall pass rush.

As it turned out, he wasn't able to make an impact until the second half of the season, but he did so in a big way.

The former Georgia Bulldog had 5.5 sacks in his last six games, which gives the Chiefs more hope for his sophomore campaign in the league.

I expect him to have around 10 sacks next season, as he will be busy harassing opposing QBs throughout the year.

WR Jonathan Baldwin

Chiefs wideout Jonathan Baldwin's rookie season was a roller-coaster ride, but in the end, it saw more downs than ups.

Right out of the gate, Baldwin missed the entire preseason and part of the regular season after getting into a fight with teammate Thomas Jones.

When he finally got on the field, he wasn't able to make a big impact in the KC passing game, but did catch 21 passes for 254 yards, including an incredible touchdown catch against the Chargers in Week 8.

With a year of experience under his belt, this talented receiver will be poised for a huge season in 2012.

RB Dexter McCluster

McCluster was thrust into the spotlight last season when star RB Jamaal Charles was lost for the season earlier in the year.

Although he didn't have a monster season, DMC was able to gain 844 total yards from scrimmage and score two touchdowns as well.

The former second-round pick of the Chiefs also showed some of the play-making ability that he displayed in his rookie year.

The Chiefs are hoping that his '11 season was just a sign of things to come for the speedy McCluster.

DE Allen Bailey

Even though he didn't see the field much last season, Allen Bailey made his presence felt on the gridiron for this Chiefs defense.

In just a limited amount of plays, he was able to record 10 tackles, a sack and two pass deflections in his inaugural season in the league.

He should be coming off the bench once again this year and will likely be getting more playing time in 2012.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bailey takes Tyson Jackson's starting spot this year, and becomes a pass-rushing threat for this defense.

C Rodney Hudson

Rodney Hudson was one of the most decorated offensive linemen to ever come out of Florida State's football program.

He was a two-time first team All-American selection and started 47 games in his four-year career for the Seminoles.

Last year, he only started one game at center for the Chiefs, since veteran Casey Weigmann held down that position for most of the year.

With Weigmann not likely to return this year, look for Hudson to step in and make a big impact on this offensive line, as he is one of the more talented centers that this franchise has drafted in years.

TE Tony Moeaki

Last year, the Chiefs sorely missed tight end Tony Moeaki in their passing attack.

He suffered a torn ACL in the final preseason game, which effectively ended his sophomore season in the league.

The Wheaton, Illinois native will be returning to the team this season, as he will look to improve upon his rookie season, when he had his 556 receiving yards and three touchdowns for Kansas City.

If he can remain healthy this season, he is a strong candidate to break out in his third year in the league.